Concrete block.



PATBNTBD APR. 14,` 1908*., R

J. GONGRETE BLOCK. PPLIUATION FILED J'AN. 25, 19o?.

KING,

A Troie/VL` ys Tus Nomzls PsTzRs ca., wAsHmm-on, n. s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. KING, OF PETERSBURG, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO lIAMES P. GLADISH AND ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM FOUST, OF PETERSBURG, INDIANA.

CONCRETE BLOCK.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES R. KING, a citizen of the United States, residin at Petersburg, in the county of Pike and tate of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Concrete Block, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to building blocks of that general class particularly designed for use in construction of culverts, sewers,

- drains, rail-way bridges and the like.

which form anchoringmembers `for the cul-- vert.

A further object is to provide a self-su porting arch or culvert having a central/l)T disposed locking key or block the side walls of which are provided with locking flanges for engagement with the recesses in adjacent blocks.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency. Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that varlous changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a culvert constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the bricks or blocks detached; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the central locking block or key. Fig. 4 is an end view of the block shown in Fig. 2 of the'drawings,

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved bricks or blocks are principally designed for use in the construction of culverts, drains and similar arched struc- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 25, 1907 Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No. 354,026.

tures and by way of illustration several of said blocks are shown assembled in the form of an arch or culvert in which 5 designates the culvert and 6 the blocks. The blocks 6 which may be formed of cement, terracotta and other suitable material are preferably substantially rectangular in shape, as shown and provided with tapered side walls 7 and 8 and curved upper` surfaces 8.

Formed in one of the side walls 7 of each block at a point adjacent the curved bearing surface 8 1s a longitudinal seating recess 9 defining an inclined shoulder or bearing surface 10 preferably extending the entire length of the block and adapted to receive the over-hanging iiange 1l on an adjacent block when said blocks are laid to form a culvert. The longitudinal locking iianges 11 are provided with under cut surfaces or edges 12 inclined t0 correspond to and adapted to register with the inclined seating faces 10 of the locking recesses 9 thereby when the blocks are assembled into a wall the same will be effectually locked against accidental displacement. The opposite ends of the blocks are flat and unobstructed, as indicated at 13, so as, to present smooth bearing surfaces for engagement with the ends of adjacent blocks whereby the blocks may be readily laid to break joint with the flat bear ing surface 13 of one block bearing against the corres onding bearing surface of an adjacent b ook, as best shown in Fig. l of the drawing. Attention is here called to the fact that the locking flanges 11 of the end or foundation blocks by engagement with the ground or foundation 14 form anchoring members and thus assist in retaining the culvert or arch in position.

Each course of blocks forming the culvert 5 is provided with a centrally disposed suporting block or key 15 having a T sha ed iiead under cut at 16 to form oppositely isposed locking fianges 17 similar in construction to the locking flanges 11 of the side blocks, said flanges being adapted to engage the seating recesses 9 of the side blocks when the latter are laid in position to form a culvert.

In constructing the culvert the blocks are laid to form an arch and arranged to break joint with the locking flange 11 of one block engaging the seating recess 9 of an adjacent block and with the flanges of the central locking key or block 15 engaging the recesses of ad'acent side blocks thus eectually locking t e several blocks together and forming a strong, rigid and durable culvert. lf desired a cement foundation may be prepared and the locking flanges 11 of the terminal blocks of the culvert embeddedin said cement and the latter allowed to harden or solidify or a shallow trench or groove may be formed in the earth foundation and said flanges positioned within the trench and the earth thoroughly packed around the same. By having the upper surfaces of the blocks curved or convex when said blocks are laid to form an arch they will present a smooth unobstructed surface while by reason of the angle or inclination of the faces 10 and 12 the blocks are firmly bound together and rendered self-sup orting.

While the b ocks are principally designed for use in constructing culverts and the like it is obvious that the same may be employed with equally good results in the erection of walls, partitions or wherever a block of this character is found desirable.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

A semi-cylindrical culvert comprising a plurality of concrete arch forming blocks leach consisting of an elongated substantially rectangular body portion having an u per exposed convex face and aflat lower tace, the opposite side walls of said block being conver ed on like angles and one of said side Wal s provided with an integral over-hanging hook extending the entire length of the block above the center thereof and depending from the convex face of the block a dis-- tance equal to a proximately one-third the height of said b ook, said hook terminating flush with the opposite ends of the block and having its lower longitudinal edge under cut, the opposite side wall of each block being provided with a correspondingly sha ed seating recess of the same length an height of the hook and opening through said convex face, and key blocks forming art of the arch and each having its side wal s converged on the same angular lines as the arch forming blocks and provided with oppositely disposed over-hanging hooks also disposed above the center of the block and depending from the convex face thereof a distance equal to ap roximately one-third the height of said bloc with their lower longitudinal edges under cut, said arch and key blocks being laid-in superposed courses and arranged to break joint with the over-hanging hook of one arch block engaging the seating recess of the adjacent block and with the over-hanging hooks of the key blocks engaging the seating recesses of the two adjacent arch blocks, and with the side walls of all the blocks converging towards .a common center, the hooks of the terminal arch blocks being embedded in the ground to form anchoring members for the culvert.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

i JAMES R. KING.

l/Vitnesses:

JNO. K. CHAPPELL, DAN C. Asi-IBY. 

